Fourths to alexander ross



(No'Moq'el.) 8 8 sheets-sheet 1Q.

I- J. o. MGBEAN.

MACHINE FOR ATTAGHING LABELS.

No. 418,787. Patented 0.08. 28, 1888-.

v i '555: "1 I j 51A/@whoa (No Model.)

" l sVsheets-sheet 2.A J. G. MGBEAN.A A MAGHINB FOR ATTAGHINGLABELS. NQ. 413,787. Patented 001;. 29, 18.89.

l UNITED STATES PATENT- Orricn.

JOHN O. MCBEAN, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTHS TO ALEXANDER ROSS, SAMUEL J. PARKER, AND BURTON F. BLAOKALL, ALL OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR A TTACHING LABELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,787, dated October 29, 1889.

Application filed August 22, 1888. Serial N0. 283,483 (No model.)

To all whom it mag/concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN C. MCBEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new :and useful Improvements in Machines for Attaching Labels; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient machine for pasting labels upon cans, that can be'operated with convenience, speed, and certainty; and the invention consists in parts and combinations hereinafter described and particularly point- In the drawings, Figure l represents a section on line Fig. 3; Fig. 2, an enlarged section on same line, the can and a part of the belt-roller frame being omitted. Fig. 3 is a section on line ,e z of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on line y y, Fig. 3; and Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are views of details. i

The numerallindicates th i e" frame supporting the various shafts and other parts of the the cans automatically pass after the attachment thereto of a label.

The elevating mechanism consists of the frame or bracket 5, journaled or hinged at 8,

and supporting between its side plates il the anti-friction rollers 6 and 7. The free end of frame', which receives a can on its rollers 7 7, is raised to carry the can up to the plane, where it can receive a label by the cam 10 fast on shaft 11, which revolves'v in the direction of the arrow and engages roller 6,the curved face of said cam having the effect to raise the frame in which roller 6 is supported, and the can which rests upon rollers 7 7 to the desired height.

12 indicates a table, from which the labels are fed tothe paste-roller 13, supported to reconsisting preferably of an adjustable plate bearing upon the surface of the roller. The roller is made readily removable by the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The journal of the pulley 17 is slotted at its end to receive a corresponding part 18 of the axis of the roller. This construction permits the roller, the journals of which are supported in open bearings, to be lifted and drawn out of engagement with the pulley, and bya reverse operation to be readily replaced. The removal of the roller allows the paste-box also to be taken out.

I am aware that removable covers have been employed in connection with boxes and rollers used for applying mucilage and like substances; and I do not wish to be understood as making claim to such device, my improvement in this particular having relation to the particular arrangement herein set forth, whereby the table is adapted and arranged for supplying labels to the paste-roller and thence to the machine, and is also utilized to cover the paste-box.

The label is pressed onto the paste-roller, and thence drawn forward onto the can by the action of a felt roller 19, which is journaled in a swinging frame or bracket 20, journaled or hinged at 21. The roller-jour-u nals rest in spring-pressed box-bearings made adjustable by screws. The frame 20 also supports a brush 22 and lingers 23, which rest in grooves formed on the surface of the felt roller, which fingers prevent the label from adhering to the roller and guide it onto the can. The swinging felt -roller bracket 20 drops by gravity moving aboutits support 21 to carry down the felt roller to press the end of a label upon the paste-roller, and is then lifted to allow a part of the label to pass \vith' out being pressed upon the paste-roller by the cam 23, made fast on shaft 11, through the medium of the pivotedpawl 24, connected label by the grippers 27, one of which, next the belt-pulley, is fixed in longitudinal direction. The other is made adjustable by its axis sliding in its bearings aspring 30 being arranged to move it outwardly against a camlever 31, pivoted at 34 and operated by cam- '33 on shaft 11, the levcrbeing adjustably connected by a screw 32, which bears againstthe `end `of the axis or journal of the gripper.

These parts are so constructed and arranged and their movements are so timed that the Y movable gripper is brought against the end of a can, pressing it against the opposite grip- Vper at the time that the can is raised to its highest position to hold and revolve it during the application of a label, and so that itV is moved away from the can to release it as soon as the label has been attached. Then released by the gripper, the can is prevented from dropping vertically by the next can, which has moved down the feeding-table onto rollers 7 in the lower position ofthe frame or varms 5, and it is guided by said can onto the delivering-table. One or both of the gripperfaces are provided at their peripheries with a narrow annular rim orl iiange 28, which forms a seat for the can. The flange overlaps the can lengthwise slightly, and serves both to guide the edge of the label and make secure the grip of the holding device, allowing the force of the grip lengthwise to be diminished to some extent. The inner edge of this flange 2S may be slightly chamfered or rounded to guide the can to its seat in the same.

The revolving brush 22,\vl1ich is preferably used to lay or smooth down the label, is journaled in the frame and moved in opposite directions alternately to brush opposite ends of said label by means of the lever 36, pivoted to the frame, and of weight 37, which parts are connected, as shown, by a rope or chain that passes over a pulley on the axis of the brush. The lever is represented in full lines at rest, the weight having any convenient support when not in operation. The revolution of the drive-wheel 39 carries a pin 40 down upon the lever, depressing it and rotating the brush to lay on the first end of the label. As pin 40 begins to ascend, the

The straight or fixed brush "2 heretofore referred to, is operative, but'it' is not'adapted to move from the body of the label toward each end, as its movement cannot be reversed in manner analogous to that of the roller above described, and the latter is preferred for this among other reasons.

The cam 23 (represented in Fig. 7) is made in two parts 41 and 42, of which 41 is keyed to the shaft 11 by means of a hub 23". Part 42 is adjustably secured to 41 by means of a set-screw seated in the former and passing through a circumferential slot 43 in the latter. Each part of the cam has a portion of its periphery cut away at two points, leaving between such cuts, which are of unequal lengths, thc complete or uncut parts 44 and 45 of the cam-plates 41 and 42, respectively. These uncut portions determine the length of time that must intervene between the dropping of pawl 24 successively into the notches or cuts in the periphery of the cam, and con sequently the time between the pasting of the two ends of the label, and as these parts of the cam are adj ustably connected their relative position can be varied as required /Vto paste labels of various lengths. Thus, vif a comparatively short label is to be attached to a can, the part 42 is adjusted on 41 by the screw-and-slot connection, so that Vthe uncut portions 44 and 45 shall considerably overlap each other. By this adjustment it is provided that pawl 24, after dropping into notch 47, shall be raised and held upon the combined surfaces of 44 and 45 for only acomparatively short period and then drop into notch 48, and that the felt roller, through the medium of rod 25l and bracket-arm 26, shall be held up a corresponding period during the interval between the pasting of the first and last ends of the label by the' descent of the felt roller to press the same against the pasteroller, as above described.

Power is transmitted to the above-described mechanism through wheel 39', having normally aloose connection with shaft 11. When it is desired to attach a label and to start the machine for this purpose, the shaft and wheel are connected by a clutch, through the medium of the rod or bar 49, which can be depressed by forcing upon its upper end the table 12, which is hinged at its side. This bar is attached to one end of a lever 50, p'ivoted near its center and having its other end connected and arranged to stop a crank-arm 51 of a clutch piece or key 52. This piece fits a curved depression in a hub 53 fast on shaft 11, both the clutch-piece and the depression being curved in crosssection,as shown. 'The piece is also slightly curved on its upper surface, said curvature being made to correspond with the interior of the surface of the wheel which surrounds the hub. This interior surface is provided with a series of depressions 54, parallel with the clutch and with the depression in which it rests.

A spring 55 is applied to the crank-arm of the clutch-piece in such manner as to partially rotate the piece when the opposite end of lever 50 is depressed and the adjacent end is raised, as represented in Fig. 4. This partial rotation of the clutch key or piece 52 IOO IIO

. 41ans? b rings its edge in engagement with the de# clutches together the wheel and shaft, which,

` as before stated, occurs whenever the table l2 4revolution of the shaft.

is depressed by the operator and lever 50 is turned o n its fulcrum to throw its free end out of engagement with the arm 51 of the clutch-piece.

Theoperation.` may be briefly described asfollows: ,Cans having been placed on table 2, roll down automatically to position indicated in `Fig. l, one being supported on rollers y7.o,f`

the frame 5. Thereupon shaft 1l, Vbeing coupled to the drive-wheel 39, revolves in the direction of the arrow on cam '10, which cam lifts-frame 5 and the can supported on it into contact with the felt roller.' At this instant the movable gripper 27 is made to press the can against the fixed gripper by means of lever 3l, operated by cam 33 on shaft 11, the can being securely held in the seats formed by the rims 28 on their faces. The can is revolved from the shaft 1l by belt-wheels 35 and 29, the latter having the diameter of the can. A label having been moved from the lower end of the table 12 onto the paste-roller, which is revolved by means of pulley 7, is at the propermoment pressedvupon said roller by the descent of the felt roller, the pawl 24 simultaneously dropping into notch 47, which h as been brought in proper position by the As the pawl rises out ofthe notch 47 onto the surface of 44 and 45, the felt roller is lifted, moving up in contact with the can, to which itis held by the spring above its movable bearing. The label held between the felt roller and can is drawn forward by this revolution, and when the felt roller is again dropped by the descent of the pawl 24 into notch 48 the last end of the label is over the paste-roller, and is pressed upon it and then farther drawn forward by the can and felt roller, both ends of the label being seasonably brushed, as hereinbefore described, by means of the rotary brush rotated alternately in opposite directions by the pin on the drive-wheel and lby the weight. As soon as the. last end of the label has been brushed the gripper is released by theaction ofspring 30, the lever3l having beenseasonably released from the cam In the meantime, the frame 5 having been allowed to descend. by the continued movement of cam 10, a second can has automatically taken its place upon rollers 7 and-under the can held by the grippers, and when the latter is released it rolls off from said second can onto the deliv ery-table 4, andthe operation can then be repeated.v Y Y Itis obvious that the machine may be modified in parts without sacrificing all the advantages of the invention. While a vwooden roller covered withl felt is preferred, other known materials m be used, also other means for connecting the label-table to the machine or supporting it thereon, and other means for depressing the clutch-operating lever and other clutch mechanism-could be substituted and it is also obvious that other cams and connecting devices may be adopted without departing from the invention, and wherlever parts are named it is to be `understood that equivalent devices actingin substantially thesame way and for alike purpose may be substituted.

In my improvement the incoming can is fed from off it toward the delivery end of the maA chine. Other than the particular means for introducing and removing cans may besubstituted, provided the incoming can is thereby placed under and receives a labeled can when it is dropped by the gripper.

rested after a label has been pasted andjbefore the felt roller is again droppedonto the pasteroller, and the parts are again gleftin position for the attachment of another label whenever the machine is started, whereby the felt roller is kept from the paste-roller, except when the operator wishes to paste a label. The stopping and starting of the machine may be effected by any suitable mechanism.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire. to claim and secure by Letters Patent 1. In a machine for attachinglabels to cans, a can-feeding table, a can-lifting device, and a can-delivery table located above the feeding-table arranged substantially as set forth, whereby a can fed onto the lifting device will be under a can to be fed or dropped onto vthe delivery-table.

2. In a machine for attaching labels to cans, a can'feeding or supplying table, can-elevat Inmy improve- Y ,ment, also, the machine is automatically ar- IOO ing mechanism, and can-grippin g devices, and

the felt roller having yielding journal-bearings, a swinging bracket moving about the axis of the can-grippers, and a cam and connectingfrod, whereby the felt roller is moved back and forth upon the surface of a can held inthe grippers, substantially as set forth.

5.V In a machine for attaching labels to cans, the combination of the felt roller and its journaled bracket, with the two-part adjustable IIO cam and the intermediate devices, whereby lthe felt roller can be applied to the ends of labels of unequal lengths, substantially as set forth.

G. In a machine for attaching labels to cans, the cam having two parts, each with portions of its periphery cut away at different points, one part being keyed to the shaft and provided with a slot, and the other part provided with a set-screw, and thereby made adjustable on the fixed part to cause the peripheral portions situated between the cuts or notches to overlap more or less, according to the length of a label to be pasted, in combination with the journaled felt-roller bracket and intermediate devices, substantially as set forth.

7. In a machine for attaching labels to cans, the combination of the rotary brush, pivoted lever, cord and weight, and the pin on the drive-wheel, whereby the brush is alternately rotated in opposite directions to brush the opposie ends of the label, substantially as set fort 8. In a machine for attaching labels to cans, the combination of the hinged table with the loose pulley, the main shaft, and clutch mechanism, whereby the table is used to operate the clutch to start the machine, substantially as set forth.

9. In a machine for attaching labels to cans, the combination of the table, loose pulley, shaft, and cranked clutch piece, with the springs, lever, and intermediate rod, whereby the clutch is operated and the machine started or stopped, substantially as set forth.

10. In a machine forattaching labels to cans, the combination of the felt roller having yielding journalbearings,with the spring-fingers resting in grooves in the circumference of the felt roller, both roller and lingers being supported in a swinging or journaled bracket, whereby the lingers are kept constantly in the grooves, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. MCBEAN.

Witnesses: l

ALEX Ross, M. D. PHILLIPS. 

